Research
FAS Research
Researchers in Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences are exploring big questions, from treating genetic diseases to increasing sustainable agricultural productivity, that have a positive impact on the world.
Even in the face of major funding losses, FAS researchers remain at the forefront of innovation, shaping knowledge and creating solutions that matter. The stories on this page bring this work to life, showing how FAS research drives breakthroughs, sparks new ideas, and pushes the boundaries of what’s possible.
Driving Discovery
With College Math Stuck in the 20th Century, Work Begins on a New Formula
Scholars from around the United States recently gathered at Harvard to crack an unsolved problem in mathematics: how to make the subject more relevant to undergraduates.
The traditional ways of math instruction no longer add up. Many students spend hours laboring over problems that could be solved instantly by the phones in their pockets. Math curricula must adapt to advances in artificial intelligence, data science, machine learning, and myriad other disciplines.
How Venom Kills — And Can Lead to Cures
Mandë Holford uncovers the secrets of deadly marine mollusks, how their toxins work with such targeted efficiency
“Climate Uncertainty Is Bad for the Economy”
Analysis reveals unhappy marriage of lower productivity and higher prices amid wobbly regulation
Lives Saved by Sociologist’s Fix for Skin Tone Bias
The Monk Skin Tone scale, devised in 2019 by Professor Ellis Monk, helps create more accurate medical diagnostic tools for patients with dark skin
People Powering Progress
Cancer Turner Her into a Scientist
Diagnosis transformed Mary Cipperman ’26 into a hyperproductive student researcher with diverse interests in physics, medicine, and AI
Surviving San Quentin
Johnny Smith studies the impact that higher education can have on formerly incarcerated people like him, so that others can hold onto their freedom and lead full, productive lives.
Seeing What You See
New faculty Cécile Fromont is a visual problem solver
Spotlighting Student Research
Better Data Amidst Disaster
SEAS juniors design new collection tool for humanitarian aid
"Critical Tipping Point" for Cameroon's Indigenous Languages
Displacement and forced migration trigger alarm about language attrition in Cameroon
On the Sea or in the Lab, Olivia Hogan-Lopez Knows the Value of Perseverance
Senior is researching how PFAS chemicals impact humans and the environment.
‘Like We’re Reaching a New Period of Human History’
Fascination with artificial intelligence pulls Muqtader Omari back to his scholarly first love: Science.
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